Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Aqaba Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Aqaba

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $907 in Aqaba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,450 in Aqaba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $1,992 in Aqaba, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 62% more than Aqaba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Aqaba is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$2.79 JOD 1.97

372.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$49.04 JOD 34.71

9.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$4.19 JOD 2.96

124.82%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$4.19 JOD 2.97

-15.27%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.52 JOD 0.37

211.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.35 JOD 0.24

217.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$5.57 JOD 3.94

-43.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$7.23 JOD 5.12

-35.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.43 JOD 1.01

18.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$0.50 JOD 0.36

444.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.68 JOD 1.19

13.69%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$1.65 JOD 1.17

53.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$5.74 JOD 4.06

74.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$4.27 JOD 3.02

89.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$9.68 JOD 6.85

20.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$1.38 JOD 0.98

115.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.39 JOD 0.99

30.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.08 JOD 0.77

86.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$0.74 JOD 0.52

174.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$0.73 JOD 0.52

190.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$0.69 JOD 0.49

228.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.65 JOD 0.46

115.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.58 JOD 0.41

94.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$3.49 JOD 2.47

22.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$17.21 JOD 12.18

-9.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$2.80 JOD 1.98

-37.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$2.50 JOD 1.77

44.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$0.50 JOD 0.36

176.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$1.40 JOD 0.99

-80.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$6.89 JOD 4.88

-20.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.41 JOD 1.00

-7.80%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$27.0K JOD 19.1K

-30.70%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$30.9K JOD 21.9K

-25.13%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$40.86 MX$707

$107 JOD 75.6

-61.76%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$26.81 MX$464

$17.13 JOD 12.12

56.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$31.90 JOD 22.57

-6.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$70.1 JOD 49.58

-25.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$11.45 JOD 8.10

-44.98%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$436 MX$7,544

$279 JOD 197

56.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$2,770 JOD 1,960

276.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$27.76 JOD 19.65

104.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$43.12 JOD 30.52

2.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$41.60 JOD 29.44

147.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$70.6 JOD 49.96

49.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$315 JOD 223

223.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$255 JOD 181

147.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$728 JOD 515

193.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$496 JOD 351

150.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$1,133 JOD 802

244.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$553 JOD 391

273.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$556 JOD 394

100.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

7.27

55.98%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Aqaba: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $315 in Aqaba. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 100% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $49.00 in Aqaba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $190 – making Aqaba the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Mexico City vs Aqaba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 62%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $1,361 in Aqaba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aqaba, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,467 in Mexico City and $907 in Aqaba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $436 per month in Mexico City and $279 in Aqaba. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Aqaba, where all-in costs run around $907, than in Mexico City at $1,467. In Aqaba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Aqaba – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Aqaba. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.